Chiefs signing Kenneth Walker III: Seahawks losing Super Bowl MVP to Kansas City
Walker will join forces in Kansas City with fellow former Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes
Kenneth Walker III has parlayed his Super Bowl MVP performance with a historic new contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are signing Walker less than month after he helped lead the Seattle Seahawks to a victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, as confirmed by CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones.
It's a three-year deal worth up to $45 million for Kenneth Walker III, who becomes the highest-paid free agent deal for a running back in NFL history.
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Walker, 25, immediately jumped to the top of this year's class of free agent running backs after Seattle elected not to franchise tag him. A former second-round pick, Walker is coming off arguably his best season, which included his 135-yard rushing performance in Seattle's 29-13 win over the Patriots in the Super Bowl.
The first running back in 28 years to win Super Bowl MVP since 1998, Walker is the fourth Super Bowl MVP to test free agency. Like the previous three, Walker's free agency has led to him signing with a new team. Walker is heading to a Chiefs team that is coming off a highly disappointing 6-11 season, Kansas City's first losing record during the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes era.
Walker makes sense for the Chiefs given the fact that their top-two running backs in recent years -- Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt -- are slated to become free agents. Last year, the duo combined to run for 1,073 yards but less than 4.0 yards per carry as Kansas City was just 25th in in the NFL in rushing.
🏈 Chiefs sign KW3: What to know
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Contract | Highest-paid free agent RB in NFL history ($14.4M per year; 3 years/$43.3M) |
| Chiefs RB production (2025) | Bottom five in rushing yards, yards per rush and tackles avoided |
| KC rushing drought | Tied for longest active NFL drought without a 1,000-yard rusher (last: Kareem Hunt, 2017) |
| Historical note | Fourth player to change teams in the offseason after winning Super Bowl MVP |
| 2025 production | 1,309 scrimmage yards and 5.2 yards per touch (career highs) |
| Early career rushing | 1,000+ rushing yards in two of first four seasons |
| Seahawks history | Third-most rushing yards through four seasons (3,555) behind Shaun Alexander (4,241) and Curt Warner (4,064) |
| Super Bowl rushing | 135 rushing yards — most in a Super Bowl since Terrell Davis in 1997 (157) |
| Super Bowl MVP | First RB to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis (1997) |
Along with Walker, the Chiefs are also expected to have Travis Kelce back for the 2026 season. A free agent for the first time, Kelce played a key role on each of the Chiefs' three recent Super Bowl championship teams. He is coming off his 11th consecutive Pro Bowl season after catching 76 passes for 851 yards and five scores.
